role model. Here's one of the columns I wrote during the height of
his fame—and infamy. (And as you can see from the comments, he had his fans and foes.)
Despite my concerns of his bizarre behavior, he was a brilliant performer. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and fans.
February 2005
Time to leave Neverland
In 1984 Michael Jackson built Neverland ranch to compensate for never having had a childhood while touring non-stop with The Jackson Five.
Thus the petting zoo with exotic animals and carnival rides.
That was over twenty years ago, and Jackson still claims to be living the childhood he never enjoyed. In British journalist Martin Bashir's documentary on Jackson, the singer declares his favorite things to do currently are—and I quote—water-balloon fights and climbing trees." He explains, "I am Peter Pan. I'm Peter Pan in my heart."
What the alledged child abuser hasn't had, as a 46-year-old, is an adulthood!
Sociology professor at the University of Kent at Canterbury, Frank Furedi, speaks of this Peter Pan Syndrome. Our society is full of lost boys and girls hanging out at the edge of
adulthood. . . . Society has come to accept the idea that people do not become adults until they are in their late thirties. As a result, adolescence has extended well into the 20s. (Or in Jackson's case, nearly 50.)
If I remember Psych 101, adulthood is characterized by the following traits:
Self-acceptance
Apparently Jackson has never felt comfortable in his own black, male skin and, so, has become a poster child for cosmetic surgery turned self-mutilation. You've got to have pity on someone who is so dilusional to believe his androgonist appearance is an improvement over his handsome Thriller look. And that is not a Gary, Indiana, accent!
Adapting to cultural and social norms
The time to dress rebelliously is during adolescence. I cringe when I see high school pictures of me with my striped bell bottoms, black anti-war arm band and paisley shirt. (Paisley is actually Greek for that which the dog coughed up.)
And the time of sleepovers should be over well before adulthood. But Jackson admits he has "slept in bed with many children." Claiming there is nothing sexual about these sleepovers at Neverland, he says, "It's very charming; it's very sweet." Asked if it was appropriate, Jackson answered that he is a child himself.
Self-sufficiency
Jackson is surrounded by a paid staff that not only carries his umbrella for him in and out of court, but caters to his every need and desire. The danger with being surrounded by paid yes people, is that Jackson apparently has never had an honest friend in his life. Friends don't let friends go out in public dressed like a deranged drum major. Friends don't let friends wear kabuki makeup to their arraignment. Friends don't let friends shop at Wal-Mart in a ski mask.
Mature, responsible behavior
One of my college text books noted that maturity is the ability to act on and react to life circumstances with intelligence, sound judgment and wisdom. Adults don't hang their children over fourth-story balconies, sleep in the same bed with non-related children or moonwalk on top of an SUV just moments after being arraigned for nine criminal charges.
I did a lot of stupid things in my teens and twenties (although my lawyer will not allow me to discuss any of them in print since statutes of limitation may still apply). Hopefully, though, I've learned to delay gratification, accept consequences of my actions, put others' welfare above my own and stop wearing striped bellbottoms with paisley shirts.
Saint Paul writes, When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
Good advice for 46-year-old who is facing adult prison if convicted of child abuse.
© 2005 James N. Watkins
Note: Jackson was later acquitted of all child abuse charges.
Comments
I commented to a friend, "The way the world is carrying on, you would have thought God died." She replied, "To those who don't know Jesus, Michael Jackson was their god." Wise woman. Sally Jadlow (July 2009)
Michael Jackson was both a transcendently brilliant musician and entertainment/cultural force, AND a deeply troubled, very likely mentally ill person, who used his fame to flaunt one of society's most deeply-held taboos—must be fully confronted. There's emerging a "he was a good guy/he was a bad guy" argument, but this is a false choice. Michael Jackson was both, and his brilliance as an entertainer in no way gets him off the hook for his perversions, while his dark side in no way diminishes the existence of his singular talent. The media doesn't like paradox. It's too hard to explain. But I believe when a life is looked at—and we sure are looking at Jackson's—one must take the full measure of the man into account. He was a one-in-a-billion shooting star talent. And he was sick person. Like it or not, to give an honest remembrance of Michael Jackson, both sides must be considered valid.
Jim Watkins, WPIX News (July 2009)
He tried to carve himself up into another person, but, of course, there was the same Michael Jackson underneath—talented but psychologically disabled to the point where he was a danger to himself and others.
Reality is unforgiving. There is no escape. Behind the Jackson facade was the horror of child abuse. Court records and reams of well-documented media accounts contain a stream of serious allegations of child sex abuse and other inappropriate behavior with very young boys. Jackson, a multimillionaire megastar, was excused as an eccentric. Small children were delivered into his company, to spend the night in his bed, often by their parents. Bob Herbert, New York Times (July 2009)
This is all very well, but the man is a genius. an insane genius.
simon_gajewski@hotmail.com (February 2005)
What a fair,balanced and non-bigotted piece of writing! You are doing a big favour to journalism.
nicolasclatot@hotmail.com (February 2005)
This is just your opinion, is he different? Off course. What this man is innocent. Does he still deserve to go to
jail? There are not many things worse than an innocent man being wrongly imprisoned. A fair trial is all anyone can
ask but will he get that, or will it be a case that minds are already made up. Michael Jackson you will be jailed for
70 years for being weird, come on, a fair trial is his right. How can that happen with journalism like this.
Just look at death row inmate Ritchie, how many years jailed with the threat of death only to be released
because they got it wrong!!
jambo_scott@yahoo.com (February 2005)
Excellent point! That's why I devoted an entire column on Jackson being
innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
You rubish me, Mr Watkins. Michael didn't change his color. He suffers a skin disorder called vitilago (pigment loss).
Michael jackson has donated more money for hospitals, burn centers, etc. than any american celebrity.
And he just doesn't throw the money he takes ownership of his contributions. He takes 'ownership' unlike most of you
... Americans.
Maheshc001@hotmail.com (February 2005)
You're statment, "What the alleged child abuser hasn't had, as a 46-year-old, is an ADULTHOOD!" is good,
and well written. I liked it, because it was exactly my thoughts a few days ago. It's hard for people to accept that
someone so successful at being a pop star (which isn't easy), could be so strange and still be able to do what they
do. He can sing, dance, write music..... BUT, as I look closely at him when he talks in the Bashire documentary,
he looks lost, in a trance. A delusional fantasy world. The hanging the baby over a 4th story balcony wasn't what
it looked like. He wanted to show off the child to a crowd that was there, below, but without showing it's face.
So it looked like something it wasn't. If that was irresponsible, it wasn't because the child was in danger,
but because Jackson forgot that most people react to a fear of heights and it he should have known it would look bad.
Repeating favorite news items makes any statement weaker because it's been done. Your article has mostly fresh
statements which are what people are looking for. Not repetative "Jacko" standards. What you said about him never
having an honest friend is pretty much true, but I think he actually wants it that way. I mean, I think because
there is something so wrong with him that he wants to build and create his world around him to match his delusions.
Delusions that serve the purpose of making him feel better about what ever bothers him. Things that bother him so
much that he states he IS a child. People naturally avoid pain and seek pleasure. He is obviously avoiding growing
up because it seems painful to him. Not normal at 46, or even 22. Yet he's had 20 years of his pretend childhood
and in that child hood has had far more things than any actual kid would ever have. So what could make someone
want to avoid growing up that much. One can only wonder. Even though I could think he could have been making a
show for the camera, it's impossible to ignore that he drove up in a little kiddie batman car and was surrounded by
kiddie like things. I think he was messed up as a child and when he got to be worth 100 million, he did anything he
wanted.. Healthy or not. To me he looks totally lost.
john33040@yahoo.com (February 2005).
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